Machine for removing pits from fruit



Juiy 22, 1952 s. w. ASHLOCK, JR

MACHINE FOR REMOVING PITS FROM FRUIT 6 Sheets-Sheet! Filed April 19, 1950 1] 0 BY flu... f

lrrmmsr y 9 I G. w. AsHLocK, JR 2,604,131

' MACHINE FOR REMOVING FITS FROM FRUIT Filed April 19, 1950 a Sheets-Shet 2 IN V EN TOR.

July 22,- 1952 e. w. ASHLOCK, JR

MACHINE FOR REMOVING FITS FROM FRUIT j Filed April 19. 1950 6 Sheegs-Sheet 3 INVENTO July 22, 1952 G. w. ASHLOCK, JR 2,604,131

MACHINE FOR REMOVING PITS FROM FRUIT Filed April 19, 1950 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 f, 3 VI W 4 Z W m m a/ W 7 Wm o. f 7 B Q 2 W 5 Isl: 3:; 3:2; l T5 N m M fl e 4 U m 4 m E 5% :J on. v. 0 I B .0 W /0 fl. W l 1 WW W r I Y W F July 22, 1952 a. yv. ASHLOCK, JR

MACHINE FOR REMOVING PITS FROM FRUIT 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed April 19, 1950 FIIE'I July 22, 1952 a. w. ASHLOCK, JR 4,131

umcnmz FOR REMOVING PITS FROM FRUIT Filed April 19, 1950 6 snee s-sheet s can-Zinc:

IbPnnDIIII E IE 15 Patented July 22, 1952 George W. Ashlock, Jr., Oakland, .Calif. Application April 19, 1950, Serial No. 156,761

This, invention "relates to a machine forare- 6 Claims. (01.146-17) movingithe pits from dates; 'prunes; andlike'fruit.

Dried dates and prunes present very specialproblems with respect to the :removalaofthe1pit or stone :for zthe-individual fruits are irregular: in

shape and, cbecauseof theirhhigh sugar content,-

-aregfrequentlylquite :stickYi 'In addition, ltziiS sometimes advantageous to handle these fruits,

particularly prunes, while; hot: and 'Wet so :that :the problem of aligning thezfruit for a stone -re- ;-moval is evenmore difficult.

I havefound' that such i a fully pitted if it is-first supported along a portion of its side. 1Thereafterythe-fruit stone is ejected through the supported sideportionv of the fruit. This, I .have found;=results:in a minimum distorside through whichthe'pit is ejected closes adequately the puncture in thefruit side andthe flesh .is-not exposed. -Fi1rther, it requires only that the stone -be moved a relatively short distance until fruit can be success- I:

rtion ofthe fruit for the support provided 'to' the titiszseparated fromthe :;fr uit,-thus facilitating I the pitting-operation and-making the removal of the l whole; stone from the fruit thatmu'ch more certain.

.Itisin general the broad obj ectzof the present invention toprovide. a novel'machine for the.pit-

.ting, of dried fruits suchrasdates,-;prunes and the 11 I Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for removingthepit from dates,

prunes and the like. I

. as a date or a prune-in I a predetermined position ,of valignmentas Iapreliminary to a subsequent processing operatio'n such as a stone rremoyal i1.

.step.

An. additional object of, the .present invention is to .provide a novel feed mechanism for feeding dried jfruitssuch as ,datesgprunes, and the like to a processing mechanism.

An additional and otherobject isto providea 1 novel pitting mechanism forfruit such as prunes,

dates and the like. I I

,The invention includes other-objects and features of advantage, some of .which,together with jthe foregoing, will appear. hereinafter wherein thepresent preferred form of the machine of this invention is disclosed. I

Referring to the drawings accompanying and forming a part hereofjFigure l is ,a side eleva- I tionwith some parts of the machine broken away to illustrate the construction employed.

{Figure 2; is a section taken through the feedthereof.

*F-igure 5'is aplan view of a portion of a' form ofpitting-chuck which canbe employed.

mg mechanism and 'apoiftio'n of the processing "Figure 6 is-a side elevation of the pitting chuck shown in Figure 5. r

I Figure 7 is a .section taken along. the 'line- 11 -in"Figure 5.

"Figure Sis a sideview ofaportionof the pitting mechanism, while Figures :9: and ,10 are; respectively, sections taken along the line :9-9 and |0 --'l Oin Figure 8, thelat-terbeing shown-imposition over a chuck.

Figure 11 is a side. view of :amodified formof another pitting mechanism .which can hev employed.

Figure 12 is abottomviewof theapittingl mechanism shown in Figure ll ,-a:-portion. of:.the.bottom plate being omitted from the left-hands'iide of the figure.

' illustrating the pitting-of. :a fruitr'and showin the removal of the stone.

Figure 18 is a-schematic view showingztherelation of the pittingmechanism-toa stone.

Referring -.-to' the. drawings-ti he machin ncludes a frame-made upzofwspacedsideplates 2| I and 12 supported -,in- -a-;-suitabler;parallelspaced relation-and; having legs 13 -;thereon. (Shafts .l 4, 5' and lifii-are mounted at oppositeqcorners of the frame, the shafts respectively.-{having pairs of I v sprockets 11,443; and I 9thereon:about whichware ..,A further object of-th present invention-is to tralnedflhams dw -ma rult conprovide-amachine for orienting a :dried fruit-such veyor- 2 I Fruit. holders. generally indicated as 23, are extended between the chains; aoneI-form thereof being shownim Figures 5., 6. and 7. e A subframe 24 is mountedwupon side-plates [Lands-l2 and an electric motor-speed reducer unit -generally indicated' at 25, is mountedrthereon to drive suitable-pitting mechanism-generally'indicated at 3 0 and which is.moreparticularly-shown.inamy Patents 2,157,518. and,2,2 19,832; .the prime mover includes a shaft 2 6 havingasprocket -21 thereon driving a chain .28, this in turn beingpassed about .a sprocket '29 ona-shaftfiLin thepitting mechanism (corresponding togshafts39 =in the aforesaid .patents). .Also mounted onshaftB-l is-asprocket 32, chain, 33 being trained about this and .about .a-sprocket.34.on shaft IStQ'drive the main-.fruit conveyor" 2 l, s in av timed relation withthe ,pitting mechanism 30. The upper run-of conveyorjtzis supported --byguide rai1s13 6-:prov-ided along the inside of eachofplates -l Land IZyzthe guide rails are preferably provided inseveral sections,=.=36a, '3'6b and "360, the first 1 and ilast" of .whih :arel secured to the insideiface of each of side plates while the intermediatesection; 36b, ismovably supported on the sideiplates and :is vibrated'by the vibrating mechanism generally indicated at .31, at about 1800 alternations per minute. Such --vibrating-= mechanism and the support ofguide .rail section 35b: is further described-in detail in rny 3 Patent 2,250,518.,of. July 29-, 1941, the vibrator being of Iamechanical type and including an eccentric operatedofia rotating shaft 38 driven b a separate prime mover (not shown).

Each of the fruit holders 23 on the pitting conveyor 2| includes a base plate 4| secured suitably between the chain 22 in the well-known manner. The base plate includes circular apertures 42 therein and four spaced pins 43 provided equidistantly about each circular aperture 42. A rubber cover plate 44 fits snugly upon the pins and includes a circular portion 45 fitting in the aperture 42 and depending below the base plate 4|;,

each plate also includes a plurality of fruit receiving receptacles or cavities 4'6; in the form illustrated, three receptacles are shown but more or less can be provided, as desired. In that form of the receptaclefl'd, shown in Figures 5-7, each is of a conoidal shape and includes a narrow slit 41 in the bottom portion thereof parallel to the major axis of the receptacle. A slot .48 extends across each receptacle along the minor axis of the cavity to admit of certain presently described mechanism utilized to remove fruit from'the receptacle and which is shown in Figures 13 and 14.

'In' that'cavity shown in Figures 4, 5 and 6, flat abutments 49-are provided immediately adjacent to the intersection of the major and minor axes of each cavity, these being provided on each side of the major axis'to form a V section (Figure '7) whereby the fruit is stably supported in the receptacle. Except for the abutments 49, each conoidal cavity is symmetrical about its major axis. The cavity illustrated is that generated'by rotation'o f an ellipse about themajor axis, but one can use another conic, e. g. a parabola or a hyperbola. The overall size of the cavityshould besuflicient to admit the fruit; to facilitate its retention, a vertical wall is utilized about the upper cavity portion. The ratio'of the minor axis to the 'major axis should be from 0.35 to 0.85, the preferred range bein from: 0.4 to"0.8 with the preferred ratio being 0.55. The length 'of each abutment 49 should be approximately that of the average size stone in 'the'fruit. The flat face of each abutment should be of a depth sufii'cient to provide an adequate "guide'to the fruit stone; a depth measured along 'thefaceot about-050i the minor axis usually sufiicing. The two faces should be an angle of 'from'45'to 100 to one another. I

The receptacle shown'in Figures 5-7 and previously described is one suited to the orienting and pitting of driedlprunes and some sizes of dates. With other fruits other receptacle forms may be employed and 'the'variou's mechanisms disclosedare notlimited to'usewith only the specific form Of rc e'ptacle disclosed; one can employ what is ineffect a semi-cylindrical cavity. In any case, the cavity has a major and a minor axis at 90 to each other; and in the same plane, the cavity being so placed that the pitting knife or k'niv'es move to stone the fruit at 90? to each axis, as will'appean The feed conveyor'(Figure 2) includes spaced shafts BI, 62 and 63 mounted at spacedcorners on frame'plates 64 and 65. The plates are joined by several 'transversemembers 66 and an end wall 61,-aside. wall '68 and a bottom skid plate 8'! 'are provided to confine the-fruit, as 'Will appear. Each of the shafts 6|, 62 and'63 includes sprocket pairs 1|, 12'and l3at each endsuppor'ting chains 74, shaft 6| being driven by a gear-"l6 meshing with a gear 1'! on shaft I4. Extended transversely;betwee'n, the chains, are a'plurality of fruit holders generally indicated at 8| comprising longitudinal strip members extended between each of the chains and having apertures 82 therein for attachment by suitable studs toeach of the chains.

Each of the carrier members 8| includes a fruit receptacle 83 along an edge, the recess being closed by the edge of the immediately adjacent carrier member 8| to' provide a complete enclosure for an article In the form shown, each carrier member leading edge and trailing edge is provided with a recess, the adjacent recesses cooperating to provide the complete receptacle. Each of plates 64 and 65 includes openings 85 therein through which fruit to be fed is introduced.

andv 65, the fruit falling into each of the various receptacles on the carriers and being conveyed along the skid plate, a brush 88 being positioned transversely between the plates to sweep back any excess fruit which is not within a receptacle between adjacent carriers. The supporting plate 81 includes a horizontal portion 89 from whence the conveyor passes upwardly about sprockets 1|. Sprockets H are provided immediately adjacent and cooperatively with respect to sprocket [1 whereby, as the fruit carriers 8| passiabout sprockets 1|, they move apart, as is illustrated in Figure 2, and the fruit therein is released from support of the skid plate and drops into a cooperatively positioned receptacle 46 on carrier 2|, the two conveyors being moved in a timed relation to efiect a timed feeding and filling of each of the cavities in the carrier 2|. It is to be noted that each receptacle in the fruit holders 8| is of a suitable configuration, preferably'conoidal, to admit readily the elongated dates and prunes; the receptacles can be provided completely as a recess in an edge of one member, being completed by the adjacent edge of thenext adjacent member. I a I As the fruit is moved. along on the processing conveyor, the vibration imparted to such conveyor by the vibrator 31 further assists 'in align which the pitting mechanism generally indicated at 93 is attached, the plunger ends fitting into the plate 91 and a threaded sleeve 94, extending through a hole in the plates92 and 91 and having nuts 96 and 98a on each end, securing the pitting mechanism 93 on the plungers for reciprocation with these. The pitting mechanism 93 includes an upper plate 91 and a lower plate 98, a guide rod 99 being secured at each-endof the lower plate 98 andmovable in a guide bushing |0| secured to the upper plate 91, a spring 32 being provided about each guide'rod and between the-plates whereby the lowerplate is urged away from the upper plate. To limit the movement of the lower plate 98 with respect to the upper plate 91, a rod I03 is secured to the lower plate -;to extend :slidaibly through sleeve; :94,- a rubber washer 1'04: -.being-:.provided.zbetween a ,nut- 4.05 :.on...the..end. of .thearcd gandsnuteefiyon .thegupper -:.end of theslcev Secured. in upper. :plate -91 arerpa'plurali y r-kn c w eneral y.- indicated at 1416,: these being 'detaichably; securedavby t-screws: 4.01 en a in theaiends .l 08 which .:are. inserted into zzsuitabl v apertures in the upper plate 91. Elie, knives-pass ssnugly thrcueh p1ate::98, -.the;.p1a.te .acting as a stripper toiremovezzfruit adhering-3'00 cache-knife; guides L09 gare provided-about; the; outer knives. '.;'L'he.-lower plates-9.8 :carries adjustable 'ribsr- =17! 0 rat .eachgend; to, limit-the compressive; iorce .appliedibyrthe ;lower;plate ,-.to' fruit; one-the. conveyor 2 l--so ZtheZfruit :is. not crushed; lthfi :ribs engaging -,-the;;QDDOsite ends pfleachzpair ofvco'nveyor strips rmOVBd' into .pitting position. 1 In thatsform shown :imFigures: 8-10; secondary ribs 1 1| l1. are: provided .rtransversely of plat'ezBB :toretain .rruitirr aicavity -inposition-duringpittirig.

TIn that form;o pitting mechanismshown in "Figures '11 and 12;;the knives :I DB areprovided in pairs: for: cooperativezopenation with each fruit receptacle, "the;stripperplate: 98 being :flat. The knife .pairsen a e; opposite ends of. a lfruit stone to force {the stone through thepsideroif the fruit. Each knife. includesrlthree "cutting: blades :there- .:.onat :.-an:.angle lot i 1-20 .to' each. :other; :Itwo of '-the blades; :those '--indicated :at 1| I 6,".depend angularly to form a V-shapedreceptacle, while the -endof the "otheltlclade :I I! is horizontal; the hori- ,lzontal -b1adeends:;-in, each :pa-irvbeing paral-l'elaand li ning-smith.xthefz'major :axis of the-fruit --stone iand-thefirstreceptacle. IThBUtWO; angular blades H6 thusgex-tendipn each sideof :thestone-at an endl thereof= whilegthewhorizonalblade il Hex-tends along the stone;- by rinsing two'of these knives, the stone .is .held firmly and is forced.,-.as; a :body

out ,of --the fruit. 2 Thisfis: of; advantage. in fruit- "having; a relatively long: stone-as .;:a date,:. for -a single l knife :tends to ,tipqithestone or :else break it :in: the middle 1 whereby; thefruitds not pitted satisfactorily. i

f Toremove pitted :;fruit which ;;may :become jammed .in one of the receptacles (Figures 1; 113 -and 1 4) ,I providea plate H-Z acrossthe front, of the. machine .with aplurality ,of upwardly extending .fingers -|.I3 thereon, each fin er shayingwan ,end H4 formed-to slip into; andslide; along each slot 48 ,to engage fruit.behind-aifiatiineaqrecep- .tacle.whereby-anypfruit iamm-ed-in-the receptacle l is removed.

In operation, .the-feed conveyor. andithe; pitting conveyor each move continuously in a timed relation, while: the -vibrating mechanism operates continuously to vibrate the intermediate portion of the pitting conveyor. ,The .fruit is fed into i6 :removedithereircmgifaitahappens tohaveabecome jammed. i I: laim: V H

Arpitter iorziruit such as dates, PPI'UHQS and ythejlilse ihavingan elongated stone therein, com- :prising pa; rigid -.-supp0.rt having a planar. face 1:ther.eon and a. generally circular. aperture therein, -a'.rr esi1ient rubber fruit receptacle andmeans sezeuringvsaid .receptacleonsaid planar face on said .metal: support, said-:receptacle: having an upper planar? face thereonanda cavity in said holder opening into'..s=a;id.upper' face and. being of sub- -stantial:depth. to retain-a fruit, saidcavityhav- .ing-a majorand a;minor axis at 90.to eacli'pther and being disposed with said axes parallel to said face,.a slotdnthebottom of said holder: extend- --ing-pa'rallel to :said major: axis and extending di- -ametrically across the"aperture in said metal sup- .port, said cavity lbeingwsymmetrical about said major-axis a :fruitengaging abutment on opposite' sides of-saidslot insaid cavity of substantial area to provide a V-shaped receptacl'e'in the wbottom-of said cavity to align the fruit'with its stone ina position wherein the longitudinal axis {of the: stone is parallel to said slotand the sto'ne issuperirnposed over said slot, 'a plur'ality of substantially parallel spaced knives, means ior reciprocating said knives simultaneously in the same direction 'for simultaneously engaging, at "90; to-each of'said axes,=oppositeends of'a stone in a *fruit in said cavity to force said stone from the fruit and-intoenga-gementwith said slot in said resilient receptacle to force the stone into and through the slot and so flex the resilient receptacle while opposite sides of the fruit sur- -grounding that area through which the stone is ejected are supported" by the resilient receptacle andare forced together and closed by return of the resilient-receptacle upon-release of the ejected stone through the slot; in the receptacle to mmaintain-the natural contour of thgfruit; and

the feed hopper from whenceit is, picked up and delivered, the majority of the,fruitbeing oriented by the time it is in place on the pitting conveyor and immediately following-its -release by the feed conveyor and deposit on-the pitting conveyor. Ch f-ruitaas is not crientedds:vibratedonithe fittings-conveyor and is in mined position by the time-thelfruit reaches .the pitting, station. At the pitting station, :the'rfruit stone'isengaged whereby .the -,stonei: is 'moved through (the side of ,thelfruit-and does nntvturn, twistort-break inthe fruit. The release=of .the fruit-stone through a small;=narrow aperture re- :sults :in closure. of the Side :of the fruit whereby the i ruit, appears undamaged-and-uncut :whenex- .ramined yand uthelfleshs is not 1 exposed. @Subsequently the fruit drops off the conveyor. or is meansi'forpressing said-- fruit against said resilient receptacle ,mretain the fruit in position in said cavity without altering substantially the natural contour of saidfruit' duringremoval of ,the stone and ejection of :the stone through said slot.

Apitter for fruit such as dates, prunes and the like'having an elongated 'stonetherein, com- ;prising a plananmetal support havingia circular aperture therein, a resilient rubber fruit receptacle, means securing said. receptacle on a planar "face on said metal. support, said receptaclezhaving'; an upper planar face thereon and a. cavity in 'said' holder opening into said upper, face, said cavity having, a .majorand a minor axis at '90" to each other andbeing' disposed .with said axes parallel to said; face, said, minor axis being. of a 'length between 0.35 and( of saidm'ajoraxis, saidcavity being symmetrical about said major axis, a slotin said holder extending parallel to said major axis and extending[diametrically 'acrossisaid; opening, airu it engaging abutment With said slot in said resilient receptacle to force the stone into and through the slot and so flex the resilient receptacle While opposite sides of the fruit surrounding that area through which the stone is ejected are supported by the resilient receptacle/and are forced together and closed by return of the resilient receptacle upon release of the ejected stone through the slot in thereceptacle to maintain the natural contour of the fruit; and means for pressing said fruit against said resilient receptacle-to retain the fruit in position in said cavity without altering substantially the natural contour of said fruit during removal of the stone and ejection of the stone through said slot. l

3. A pitter for fruit such as dates, prunes and the like having an elongated stone therein, comprising a planar steel support having a circular aperture therein, a resilient fruit receptacle, means securing saidreceptacle on a planar face on said metal support, said receptacle having an upper planar face thereon and a cavity in said holder opening into said upper face, said cavity having a major and a minor axis at 90 to each other and beingdisposedwith said axisparallel to said face, said minor axis being of a length be'- tween 0.35 and 0.85 of said major axis, said cavity being symmetrical about said major axis, a slot ,in said holder extending'parallel to said major axis and extending diametrically across said opening, a fruit engaging abutment of substantial area on opposite sides of said slot in said cavity and an angle of from about 45 to about 100 to one another to provide a V-shaped receptacle in the bottom of said cavity to align the fruit with its stone in a position wherein the longitudinal axis of the stone is parallel to said slot and the stone is superimposed over said slot, a plurality of substantially parallel spaced knives, means for'reciprocating said knives simultaneouslyin the same direction for simultaneously engaging, at 90 to eachof saidaxes, opposite ends: of astone in afruit in said cavity to force with said slot in said resilient receptacle to force the stone intojand through the slot and so flex the resilient receptacl while opposite sides of the fruit surrounding that area through which the stone is ejected are supported by the resilient receptacle and are forced together and closed by return of the resilient receptacle upon release of the ejected stone through the slot in the receptacle to maintain the natural contour of the fruit; the engaging ends of the knives being inverted V-shaped to straddle opposite endsof the stone, and means for pressing said fruit against said resilient receptacle to retain the fruit in position in said cavity without altering substantially the natural contour of said fruit during removal of the stone and ejection of the stone through said slot.

' 4. A fruit holderfor fruit such as dates-and the like having an elongated stonetherein, comprising a rigid support having a planar face thereon and a generally circular aperture therein, a rubber fruit receptacle and means securing said receptacle on said planar face on said metal support,said receptacle havingan upper planar face thereon and a cavity in said holder opening into said; upper face and being of substantial depth to retain a fruit, said cavity having amajor and a minor axis at 90 to each other and being disposed with said axes parallel to said face, :a slot in the bottom of said holder extending parallel to said major axis and extending diametrically ':said stone from thefruit and-into engagement across the aperture in said metalsupport, said cavity being symmetrical about said major axis, and afruit'engaging abutment on opposite sides of said slot in said cavity of substantial area to provide a V-shaped receptacle'in the bottom of said cavity to align the fruit with its stone ina position wherein the longitudinal axis of the stone is parallel to said slot and the stone is superimposed over said slot. i

5. A fruit holder for fruit such as dates and the like having an elongated stone therein, comprising a planar metal support having a' circular aperture therein, 'a' rubber fruit receptacle,

means securing said receptacle on a, planar face on said metal support, said receptacle havingan upper planar face thereon and a cavity in said holder opening'into said upper face, said cavity having a major and a minor axis at to each other and being disposed=with said axes parallel to said face, said minor axis being of alength between 0.35 and 0.85 of said major axis, said cavity being symmetrical about said major axis, a slot in said holder extending parallel to saidmajor axis and extending diametrically across said opening, and a fruit engaging abutment of substantial area-on opposite sides of said slot in said cavity to provide a V-shaped receptacle in the bottom of said cavity to align the fruit with its stone in a position wherein the longitudinal axis of the stone is parallel to said slot and the stone is superimposed over said slot.

6. A fruit holder for fruit such as dates and the like having an elongated-stone therein, comprising a planar steel support having a circular aperture therein, 'a rubber fruit receptacle, means securing said receptacle on a planar face on said metal support, said receptacle having an upper planar face thereon and a cavity in said holder opening into said upper face, said cavity having a major and a minor axis at 90 to each other and being disposed with said axis parallel to said face, said minor axis being of a length between 0.35 and 0.85 of said major axis, said cavity being symmetrical about said major axisja slot in said holder extending parallel to said major axis and extending diametrically across said opening and a fruit engaging abutment of substantial area on opposite sides of said slotin said cavity and an, angle of from about 45 to about to one another to provide a V-shaped receptacle in the bottom of said cavity to align the fruit with its stone in a position wherein the longitudinal axis of the stone is parallel to said slot and the stone is superimposed over said slot.

GEORGE W. ASHLOCK. JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,528,294 Ashlock, Jr. Oct. 31, 1950 

